AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY.—NO. 3 . 
This sugar does not partake of the medicinal 
properties of the bark. It will be seen that the 
sap of the butternut yields about twice the 
amount of sugar that is afforded by the sugar 
maple, and the quality would be^ by most per¬ 
sons considered superior. In making sweet¬ 
meats and preserves, it would be by most house¬ 
wives preferred to any other sugar. The ex¬ 
periment was undertaken too late to ascertain 
the amount of sap which one tree will yield; 
but I think that it would be quite equal to that 
of the maple, of the same size, and growing in 
the same soil and situation. 
The saccharine properties of the sap of this 
tree are common to the whole tribe of walnuts, 
although they must differ considerably in the 
relative amounts in each species. The experi¬ 
ment is well worth repeating, and the hint may 
prove valuable to those whose circumstances 
render it convenient. In many localities, these 
trees occur in sufficient abundance to furnish 
profitable employment during the early part of 
spring, before labor is required upon the farm. 
F. B. H. 
Somerville , St. Lawrence Co ., N. Y. 
AGRICULTURAL GEOLOGY.—No. 3. 
A granite soil and subsoil forwarded to me 
from Springfield, Massachusetts, yielded the 
following result *—■ 
Soil. 
Subsoil. 
Silica, 
86.66 
92.00 
Alumina and peroxide of 
iron, 0.61 
0.80 
Silicate of lime, 
0.54 
0.45 
Magnesia, 
0.06 
0.10 
Potash, 
0.07 
0.09 
Sulphuric acid, 
0.18 
0.26 
Common salt, 
0.08 
0.12 
Phosphoric acid, 
trace 
Vegetable matter, 
4.00 
Moisture, 
7.80 
6.18 
100.00 
100.00 
If this composition be contrasted with that of 
the parent rock, it will be seen that the lime, 
magnesia, potash, and acids are much less in 
quantity, while the ratio of silica has increased. 
This loss is owing to the soil being drifted, in 
some instances, and in all, having been carried 
down, (before deposition,) by fresh water, which 
dissolved out all the soluble saline matters; 
still, however, there are always, in granitic soils, 
a remarkable quantity of alcalies, (potash and 
soda,) which render them so genial for many 
crops. All those plants which are potash seek¬ 
ers, will grow well in granite grounds, such as 
corn, potatoes, flax, peas, &c., while those which 
require lime, will not thrive unless it has been 
previously added. The deficiencies of granitic 
soils are generally lime and vegetable matter. 
However, it may startle some, it is nevertheless 
demonstrable, that all the granite hills have 
been in a hot and melted state, and that they 
were raised in a semifluid, or pasty state, and 
as they cooled, the minerals contained within 
them, crystallised and gave that glittering char¬ 
acter which all crystalline or primary rocks 
possess. They have received the epithet pri¬ 
171 
mary , as being the first formed, and from which, 
by decay, all the other rocks have been pro¬ 
duced. 
Syenite is a granitic rock, resembling true 
granite, in having the minerals, quartz and fel- 
par, but the mica is replaced by hornblende, 
as hornblende does not decay so readily as 
mica. Syenite does not form a soil so readily, 
but when formed it is a richer soil and produces 
better crops. This may be perceived by view¬ 
ing the composition of hornblende. It is a dark- 
green substance, occuring as a mineral and as 
a rock abundantly in this, and the New-Eng- 
land states. Besides the rock, we give the com¬ 
position of hornblende soil from Smithfield, 
Rhode Island. 
Silica, 
Rock. 
42.24 
Soil. 
67.0 
Lime, 
12.24 
trace. 
Magnesia, 
13.74 
3.9 
Protoxide of iron, 
14.59 
8.6 
Protoxide of manganese, 
Alumina, 
Soluble mineral matter, 
Vegetable matter, 
Water, 
0.37 
13.92 
0.3 
100 
12.8 
3.8 
5.5 
100 
The difference between the rock and soil is 
the lesser quantity of lime in the soil, and the 
presence of minerals which dissolve in water; 
these are salts of potash, soda, and lime, which, 
in the large quantity present, make this a re¬ 
markably rich soil. 
In the neighborhood of granitic rocks, and 
generally lying on each side of them, are found 
rocks containing almost the same mineral sub¬ 
stances, but disposed differently. They are 
looked upon as formations derived from the 
wearing down of the granite by the action of 
water, which, sifting the materials as they wore 
them from the side of a hill, and carrying them 
through a large body of water, deposited them 
at great depths in the ocean, in a regular order ; 
the heavier particles and minerals falling quick¬ 
est, and occupying the undermost position, and 
the lighter materials on the top. Each deposite 
occurring during^ a certain time, would have a 
distinct character either in mineral composition, 
amount of deposit, or size of the particles de¬ 
posited, from those of an earlier or a later period. 
A distinct bed, or stratum, would be formed, 
and rocks thus formed by deposit out of water, 
are called stratified or sedimentary rocks. But 
we have seen that they are deposited under wa¬ 
ter, at first. How came they to be now dry 
land ? They have undergone a silent upheaval 
from below, acting gradually, but continually, 
rendering the water above shallower, until at last 
they emerge from the deep, covered on their 
surface with all the sand, clay, and rocks which 
they may have received while submerged. 
Such is the island of New York. At one period, 
it lay under water, as the Banks of Newfoundland 
now do, and has carried up on its back, the bed of 
sand with which it was coated below water. We 
find this sand sprinkled with shells of mollus¬ 
cous salt-water fish, both univalve and bivalve; 
